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This blog is getting as unreliable as some
parts of the GB public transport system.
Yesterday was "Sunday's Best", a monthly
Christian meeting for "the mature" and run
by the fbbs. In includes afternoon tea and
24 turned up yesterday - think Sunday
School for adults!
fbb had allowed insufficient time for
detailed planning for Eastbourne blogs;
Part 3 now postponed until tomorrow.
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New Trains At Last
But which December? The item in Rail mag referred to December 2018 and, no surprise, things are running a bit late. The first 10 new trains start running today.
Thanks Manchester news - maybe you should write more plainly rather than holding back!
Only ten will not replace too many Pacers which will still be around until the end of 2020 - unless, if course, there are more delivery delays. But that scenario is most unlikely (Ha, jolly ha!).
But you have to suppose that this tiny bit of good news will excite Arriva (Northern's franchisee) after months of disruption, delay and industrial inaction.
Post-Launch Launch?
In the same way in which buildings, motorways and major development projects are "officially" opened well after they are opened, it appears that First Bus are introducing the same idea into the bus business. fbb is due to get an invite to the launch, on Friday 12th July, of the new RailAir service from Guildford to Heathrow.
It starts today!
Perhaps First are anxious to iron out any teething troubles before the press and company big-wigs get a look-see.
A glimpse of the coach branding is offered on line ...
... plus a copy of the leaflet.
The service runs every hour during the main part of the day, operating to a 24/7 timetable.
The fares seem about normal for an airport link.
Currently passengers from the Portsmouth line would use the National Express service from Woking ...
... also only hourly. First's offering will be a tad cheaper (shorter rail journey) ...
... but also somewhat longer in duration. The coach journey is twice as long. As well as a stop outside the station, there is a call near the University and at Wisley Gardens. fbb suspects that the latter is merely to allow the service to be registered as a bus and thus attract bus operators grant. He would be surprised if many folk travel to or from Wisely. Here is the TO Heathrow stop ...
... often hidden by HGVs laying by! And TO Guildford ...
... with the help of a footbridge - otherwise crossing the road would be perilous in the extreme.
This is an interesting and speculative development aimed at train travellers ...
... but fbb does wonder whether an hourly frequency will tempt flyers out of the their cars or their taxis.
One to watch. More, maybe, from the late launch?
Crackpot!
However, fbb might NOT get an invite to the above launch after this bit of bloggery lands on the desk of First Bus executives.
Wander into the Travel Centre above and you will notice something missing.
There is a slight lack of leaflets. A notice on the door explains:-
Great? An explanation is given nearby.
Points.
There are no bus timetables displayed at bus stops in Chelmsford. To check anything other than a very simple (near routine) journey, departure lists are useless.
In due course, fbb will check the web site, but at a quick glace yesterday evening, it, too, was difficult to use unless you really know what to look for.
Running two mobile phones to answer timetable queries is expensive for the enquirer and costly in staff time. Is there REALLY a saving?
Traveline is costly - even more so for a complex enquiry.
The first bus App did not have any timetables on it when fbb last looked; it may have changed and fbb will, of course, check again.
The whole idea of not printing timetables is, in a word, crackpot. Of course newer media can be of use, but to have a clear well designed timetable leaflet (area booklet is better) to include a route map and network map is by far the best way to generate new business.
And if printed material is no longer required, why are the staff of Bright Bus Tours in Edinburgh clutching a fan of leaflets?
To help the environment, to cut costs (etc.) surely NOTHING should be printed? After all - it's all on line.
Remember?
And ditch the orange T shirts - far too expensive; dress the staff in any old casual clobber. And think of the money you would save if you painted the buses one colour rather than the expensive and complicated scheme you appear to have hit upon.
After all ...
... think of the trees it will save.
Pardon? Speak up!
Oh dear; you want PASSENGERS to use your Bright Bus Tours service ...
What a surprise.
Are there printed leaflets from the new Guildford RailAir service?
What a surprise.
Ergo, you don't want passengers in Chelmsford?
As this was an old tweet you may have seen sense since.
What a surprise.
And Poppy Red?
Still gorgeous at this time of year. A couple of Twitterings ...
... and fbb forgot to note which preserved railway is seen in the distance. Severn Valley, if fbb's memory still works just a little bit?
Next Eastbourne blog (it will be - honest) Tuesday 2nd July
I have to laugh at First Essex. For Catch the Bus Week they are holding a series of events where they hope to show people "how to find timetable information". Well you have a nice Travelshop in Chelmsford where you don't have any.
ReplyDeleteIf the rail industry can produce hundreds of thousands of paper timetables each year, I am pretty sure First Essex can. It's clearly down to money and not the environment.
First Bus: Saving the environment by not producing paper timetables (from renewable trees) whilst polluting it by encouraging people to make unnecessary journeys around Edinburgh in diesel powered buses.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember that when we moved to the Plymouth area in the early 80s, the local bus timetables were printed as a supplement in the local paper from time to time: i e on newsprint, no glossy paper or pretty pictures, but all the facts were there. And even further back, as a child, one of the highlights of the long (pre-motorway) journey to our North Devon holidays was first spotting one of the Western/Southern National bus stops, a poster-sized page of local bus timetables printed on yellow paper, pasted to a green-painted board and with the words 'BUS STOP' overprinted in red. No frills, but all the information.
ReplyDeleteTimetables are available on the first bus app, however you need to know your route number to access them quickly.
ReplyDelete